The global tourism sector is starting the new year prepared to #RestartTourism when conditions allow, with the World Tourism Organization set to again bring together leaders from across the public and private sectors. Tomorrow in Madrid, the UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee will hold its first meeting of the year. This meeting to advance concrete plans to ensure the restart of tourism will take place in the context of the UNWTO Executive Council.
On Monday (18 January), the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, established by UNWTO at the very start of the pandemic as a means to unite the sector and lead a strong and consistent response to the crisis, will meet for the first time this year. Taking advantage of the Executive Council celebrated the following day and hosted by Spain, this meeting will be a hybrid event, combining in-person and virtual participation. Once again, the Committee will bring together tourism leaders from around the world, as well as UN agencies and representatives from civil society and the private sector.
Key issues on the agenda include exploring how vaccines against COVID-19 can be part of a harmonized approach to restarting tourism, including through the potential use of health passports and other measures. UNWTO will also call on members of the Committee to join forces for a global campaign aimed at restoring confidence in tourism.
During the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council (19 January), representatives of the 35 Council members will be provided with updates on the implementation of the UNWTO Programme of Work and plans for 2021. The Executive Council will also explore current tourism trends, including the impact of the ongoing pandemic on the sector and what this means for livelihoods and tourism’s contribution to sustainable development. This hybrid event expects 150 in-person participants.
The Executive Council meeting will also include the election for the position of UNWTO Secretary-General for the term 2022-2025. Incumbent Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has made himself available for re-election for a second term, while the Kingdom of Bahrain has nominated Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa for the position.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has awarded its UNWTO.QUEST Certification to Fundació Mallorca Turisme. The award further advances UNWTO’s work to promote and recognize excellence and quality in destination management for the benefit of the whole of the sector. At the same time, it boosts competitiveness in Mallorca, one of Europe’s top destinations, and emphasizes the importance of placing sustainability at the heart of future growth.
Fundació Mallorca Turisme, a UNWTO Affiliate Member, becomes the fourth DMO (Destination Management Organization) in the world and the first in Europe to receive the UNWTO.QUEST Certification. The international benchmark was created to enhance and recognize excellence and quality in the three key performance areas at the DMO level: strategic leadership, effective execution and efficient governance
Fundació Mallorca Turisme ranked particularly highly in the fields of promotion and communication and in fostering large events. The DMO was also recognized as an inspiring example in the advancement in competitiveness and for working with other public institutions and relevant partners, including academia.
Welcoming the news, Catalina Cladera, President of the Consell Insular de Mallorca, said: “Mallorca is proud to have obtained the UNWTO.QUEST Certification, a distinction that positions us as one of the leading tourism destinations for efficient governance, strategic leadership and effective execution of plans and actions. Our island has demonstrated, through this comprehensive examination, that the strategy and formulas for tourism management are in line with the principles promoted by UNWTO.”
UNWTO.QUEST Certification, which is valid for four years, with possibility of renewal, is an example of the UNWTO’s leading work in the field of tourism standards. The initiative highlights the importance and success of public-private-community partnerships as well as horizontal and vertical cooperation in institutional governance. UNWTO.QUEST aims to strengthen internal and institutional capacities to face pressing challenges, among them reviving their reputation and brand, restoring tourists’ confidence and boosting demand.
All five global regions are represented as the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition reaches its final stages. The competition was launched to identify innovators whose ideas can advance tourism’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and attracted more than 10,000 participants from 138 countries. Now, the jury has narrowed the field down to a shortlist of just 60 finalists.
This competition is a UNWTO initiative, in collaboration with Wakalua (powered by Globalia), created as part of the collaboration with the United Nations Innovation Network, a common action framework by UN Agencies to develop public-private partnerships to support the SDGs. The finalists were chosen by a special jury made up of experts drawn from international banks, airlines, tourism destinations and technology platforms. Reflecting the global interest in the initiative, the 60 finalists come from 28 countries, with each of UNWTO’s five global regions represented in the final stages.
Now, the jury will work on selecting just one finalist for each of the 17 SDGs. Each startup will be assessed according to fixed criteria, including their ability to contribute to a specific SDG, the ease of value capture, their potential business impact and the maturity of both their product or platform and their team.
This final group of 17 startups will be announced throughout January. Then, in the spring, they will be invited to pitch their ideas to UNWTO, its partners and investors at the flagship event of the Global Startup Competition, the UNWTO SDG Tourism Tech Adventure (TTA), due to be held in Qatar this Spring.
In addition to the chance to pitch at the TTA Innovation Forum, winning startups will gain access to leading technological support and to more than 100 venture capitalists. They will also be able to benefit from UNWTO’s network of partners, with curated mentorship programmes from, among others, Amadeus, Amazon Web Services, BBVA, ClarkeModet, FarCo, Globant, Google, the Inter-American Development Bank, IE University, Mastercard., MentorDay, Telefónica and Qatar Airways.
FINALISTS OF THE UNWTO GLOBAL SDG STARTUP COMPETITION
SDG 1: No poverty
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
SDG 3: Good health and well-being
SDG 4: Quality education
SDG 5: Gender equality
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure:
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production:
SDG 13: Climate action
SDG 14: Life below water
SDG 15: Life on land
SDG 16: Peace, justice and string institutions
SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
We are almost at the end of what has been the most challenging year in the history of tourism.
Almost overnight, the pandemic brought global tourism to a complete standstill.
Millions of people missed chances to explore different places and embrace different cultures and customs. And the world lost out on opportunities for tourism to create jobs, support businesses, kick-start development, and to protect and preserve the very things we leave our homes to see.
However, in the face of such a downturn, tourism ends the year more united and determined than ever.
The UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee, created in March soon after the pandemic was declared, recently met for a final time in 2020.
This unique cross-sector platform coordinates international efforts and has proven to be crucial in guiding our response to COVID-19 and informing the measures and tools for mitigating its impact on jobs and businesses.
Notwithstanding new and ongoing developments of the pandemic, the Committee is geared towards accelerating the restart of tourism, always factoring in the most recent situation of global health.
Harmonized, consistent travel protocols are essential for restoring confidence in international travel and getting tourism moving again. UNWTO will maintain the momentum we gained in 2020 into the new year.
Over recent months, we have made political and business leaders listen and make tourism a part of their plans. We have emphasized the relevance of tourism to almost every part of our societies, most recently amplified through our partnership with CNN and reinforced through high-level, in-person visits to Member States including Portugal, Tunisia, Namibia, Brazil, Uruguay, Egypt, Italy, France, Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
This joined-up approach contributed to ensuring tourism has been given record levels of financial support and political goodwill and rewarded with public recognition. The European Commission has led the way in turning encouraging words into firm actions, most notably with its unprecedented economic support for tourism at this crucial time.
Through in-person visits to leaders in the Americas, Africa and Europe, and through welcoming the Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, to address the most recent meeting of the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, we now call on governments to do more. To show that safe international travel is not only possible but, given the social and economic benefits that only tourism can deliver, essential too.
Without doubt, news of a vaccine against the COVID-19 virus gives us reason for cautious optimism. However, the restart of tourism – and the many millions of people who depend on it – cannot wait for mass vaccinations to become a reality.
It is time now to rethink quarantine rules for tourists. To embrace innovation and new solutions for testing travellers before or after their journeys. Alongside this, restrictions on travel must be eased or lifted in a responsible and coordinated manner as soon as it is safe and feasible.
The important steps undertaken to ensure better coordination and refusing to stand still, are the precursors to prepare for the new year. 2021 could be a critical year for the restart of tourism, but only if we continue along this path.
The foundations are there for this to be a turning point. It is a moment for directing our sector towards greater sustainability and inclusivity and realizing its massive potential to deliver lasting development and change for all. We cannot waste this chance.
Now, as we pause and reflect, I send you my best wishes from Madrid. Wherever you are, and however you celebrate, I wish you all a safe and restful festive period.
The First meeting of the Online Education Committee took place today, online, with the presence of high-level representatives from the public and private sector, with the objective to make education a key pillar for tourism´s recovery.
As online education and access to digital skills is becoming remarkably necessary for the population, the Online Education Committee was created in the framework of the 112th session of the Executive Council held in Georgia in September 2020. The main objective is to provide the Secretary General and the Executive Council with advice and recommendations on education matters, as one of UNWTO´s fundamental priorities. UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Investing in the tourism workers of today and tomorrow is more relevant than ever. Online tourism education can unlock opportunities for many, especially for those that otherwise will be left behind”
The members of the Committee comprises the following Member States : Portugal and Greece as Members from Europe; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as representant from the Middle East; Chile and Brazil from the Americas, Kenya and the Kingdom of Morocco from the African continent, Iran from the Commission of South Asia and Korea from the Commission of East Asia and the Pacific.
Investing in the tourism workers of today and tomorrow is more relevant than ever
In addition, the Government of Andorra was the Member State proposed to participate as observer of the Committee.
From the private sector, the Committee counts on the valuable participation of international recognized educational entities such as IE University, Bella Vista Institute of Higher Education Switzerland, CETT- University of Barcelona, Sommet Education, Les Roches Marbella and École Ducasse. Highly reputed International Experts as Megan Epler Wood, CEO of Epler Wood International, Barbara Oakley from Oakland University and Joan Gaspart president of HUSA had also an important role on this session.
In this first meeting, the election of the Chair and Vice-chair of the Online Education Committee was one of the remarkable items of the agenda. Once the online voting procedure came to an end, Mohammed Alghamdi, Human Capital Development Advisor for the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Ana Paula País, Director of Training of Turismo de Portugal were finally elected Co-Chairs of the Online Education Committee after receiving the same number of votes.
“Tourism recovery will start with us. We'll empower Online Education to give opportunities to people who want to create professional-quality careers in tourism" affirmed Natalia Bayona, Director of Innovation, Education and Investments of UNWTO.
The second meeting of the Online Education Committee will be held in Madrid in the framework of the 113th session of the Executive Council 17th January 2021.
Meeting on the occasion of the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, virtually from Lisbon, Portugal, on 9 December 2020, to accelerate the coordination of international cross-border travel principles and protocols in view of a safe and seamless restart of tourism, the members of the Committee recalled, in line with WHO and ECDC/EASA1 guidance, that:
The Committee called for
1 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Guidelines for COVID-19 testing and quarantine of air travellers – Addendum to the Aviation Health Safety Protocol. 2 December 2020. ECDC: Stockholm; 2020/EASA: Cologne; 2020. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Guidelines_for_COVID-19_testing_and_quarantine_of_air_travellers-12-2020.pdf
2 World Health Organization (WHO), International Health Regulations (2005), https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241580496
3 https://www.icao.int/covid/cart/Pages/default.aspx
Ensuring accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements can be a ‘game changer’ for destinations around the world as they look to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic. A new set of Inclusive Recovery Guides from the World Tourism Organization, produced in partnership with the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the ONCE Foundation of Spain and Travability from Australia, makes clear the importance of placing inclusivity at the centre of recovery plans and provides key recommendations for achieving this.
Launched on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the UNWTO Inclusive Recovery Guide – Socio-Cultural Impacts of COVID-19: Issue I Persons with Disabilities, draws on the expertise of UNWTO’s Ethics Culture and Social Responsibility Department and its partners. While much progress has been made, the publication makes clear that persons with disabilities and seniors encounter barriers preventing them from fully enjoying tourism experiences, even more so during the pandemic. Now, as UNWTO leads the restart of tourism globally, this guide outlines steps that governments, destinations and companies should take to build back better, becoming more inclusive and competitive.
This can be a real game changer for destinations and businesses, helping them recover from the crisis and grow back in a more inclusive and resilient way
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism environments and services are often designed without considering the different access requirements that visitors and locals may have. The tourism sector must prioritize accessibility. This can be a real game changer for destinations and businesses, helping them recover from the crisis and grow back in a more inclusive and resilient way.”
Highlighting the potential benefits for more accessible destinations, the publication notes that, by 2050, one in six people worldwide will be aged 65 or over, rising to one in four in Europe and North America. Furthermore, data shows that the average spend of tourists with disabilities in Spain, for example is in excess of 800 euros, compared with just over 600 euros for tourists without disabilities.
The recommendations advocating for accessibility during the recovery of tourism insist on six main action areas:
The guidelines reflect UNWTO’s ongoing commitment to inclusive tourism, enshrined within The UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics, calling on signatories to facilitate tourism for persons with disabilities. This publication is also the first one in a planned series of thematic briefs from UNWTO’s Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department, in its intent to provide guidance to our sector.
UNWTO and partners are asking administrations, destinations and companies, which have successfully incorporated accessibility in their mitigation measures, to share their stories through the questionnaire “Accessible Tourism Champions”, also launched today.
